The Holy Spirit is a Person!

I grew up subconsciously believing that the Holy Spirit was some kind of a force. At one point I believed that the Holy Spirit was the force of love that kept the trinity together; I can't remember how I got to that conclusion but I did. I believed that the Holy Spirit was some kind of force that was needed in order to speak in tongues and for miracles to take place. Songs about the Holy Spirit filling the room's atmosphere and filling the inside of me only enhanced my belief that the Holy Spirit was some kind of 'power' in order for me to be 'spirit-filled'.

The Holy Spirit is not a force, He is a person. There are many scriptures which point towards the personhood of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul refers to the Holy Spirit in Romans 8:27 as a 'He' and not an 'it'. In that same verse, we learn that the Holy Spirit has a mind and in the verse before, we learn the the Holy Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Matthew 12:31-33 warns us that the Holy Spirit can be sinned and blasphemed against. It was the Holy Spirit who anointed Jesus and became His witness and it is the Holy Spirit who gives gifts, teaches, comforts, helps, leads and corrects us. In Ephesians 4:30 we learn that the Holy Spirit can be grieved. All these are characteristics of a person, not an inanimate force. 

The difference between treating the Holy Spirit as a person and not a force is that you can have a relationship with a person, and not a force. The Holy Spirit wants to lead us into truth and bring forth conviction. He is our comforter, helper and teacher. I love how the Holy Spirit wants to bring forth life (John 6:63) and does speak to us (Acts 13:2). John 14:15-31 beautifully narrates how He was sent to us by the Father to teach us all things and bring to remembrance all things that Jesus said. The mystery of the trinity is fascinating! How I love you, Holy Spirit!

Japheth Chew